With God of War (2018), Santa Monica decided to reboot the series and re-imagine what a God of War game could look like. The studio did away with the fixed camera the series had used for many titles in favor of an over-the-shoulder camera that lets players experience all the action intimately. Kratos, usually a rage-driven Spartan warrior, takes on a more reserved yet gruff personality as he tries to raise his son, Atreus. Together, they go up against dragons, trolls, and much worse as they attempt to scatter Faye's ashes at the highest point of the Nine Realms. Fortunately for Santa Monica, its experiment was a success, and 2018's God of War has sold over 19.5 million copies. The sequel, God of War Ragnarok, is scheduled to release in 2022.
Naturally, expectations are high, and God of War Ragnarok will have to be an exceptional title if it is to match or exceed the bar set by its predecessor. Although a few trailers and blog posts have been released which give more details surrounding the upcoming game, many gamers are awaiting a State of Play or any other similar event that will go more in-depth into the gameplay. If God of War Ragnarok wants to capture the attention of the gamers right up until release, Santa Monica will have to put on a spectacular show for gamers the next time they show off the game.
God of War Ragnarok Is Facing Stiff Competition in 2022
Although the ninth generation of gaming got off to a slow start, 2022 has been a blur of big titles being released on a near-weekly basis. Already, PlayStation has had a slew of AAA exclusives from a range of genres.
Racing fans can enjoy Gran Turismo 7 which, with its cornucopia of vehicles, is a love letter to car culture, while gamers who enjoy open-world games can pick up Horizon Forbidden West which lets players explore the expansive Forbidden West which is teeming with new machines for Aloy to hunt and new secrets to uncover. God of War Ragnarok also has to face competition from multi-platform games and games on other platforms. In the first three months of 2022, there have already been numerous noteworthy games released, including Elden Ring, Pokemon Legends: Arceus, Dying Light 2, and Sifu, to name a few.
There are plenty more big games to look forward to for the remainder of 2022. Many gamers are eager to play Hogwarts Legacy which will allow gamers to explore the wizarding world and learn magic, while other gamers are excited for Saints Row which will reboot the series. Other highly anticipated titles include Forspoken, Ghostwire: Tokyo, Starfield, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, A Plague Tale: Requiem, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2, and many more.
With so many games coming up, it is very easy for games to be forgotten merely by getting released close to a bigger title. While God of War, being an established franchise, is likely to not suffer from this problem, it is still important that Ragnarok ensures it does not get upstaged by the lineup of other high-quality games. A good showcase event could ensure that the game remains in front of gamers' minds and is positioned as a must-play title instead of just another 2022 release.
There Are Some Doubts to Dispel
Santa Monica has a sterling record, and it has given gamers plenty of reasons to have faith that it will consistently deliver high-quality products. The studio's reputation is one of the reasons why God of War Ragnarok is so highly anticipated. Despite this, there are a few doubts and concerns gamers have concerning the upcoming God of War game, and Santa Monica could clear these doubts by addressing them in a showcase event such as a State of Play.
One of the concerns gamers have is centered on the fact that the game is cross-generational. This has raised worries that the game will be held back by the PS4's technical limitations, and as a result, the sequel will not be much of a step-up from 2018's God of War. Guerrilla Games had to face similar fears during the lead-up to the release of Horizon Zero Dawn's sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, which was also cross-generational.
However, the studio managed to gain the confidence of gamers by releasing screenshots and gameplay footage before the game's release. Santa Monica could also allay fears by devoting a portion of a showcase event to the PS4 version, demonstrating how well the game runs on the console. However, the studio should also show all the ways the game takes advantage of the PS5's increased power.
Gamers are also worried that God of War Ragnarok will not innovate the prior game's formula much. The amount of newness 2018's God of War introduced to the franchise is phenomenal. In addition to a new camera perspective and the inclusion of Atreus, Kratos also received new weapons, and he was given a semi-open-world to explore. Although it is unlikely that God of War Ragnarok will innovate the series as much as its predecessor did, gamers still expect to play a game that does not merely feel like more of the same.
Once again, it might be worth looking to Horizon Forbidden West for guidance. Although it keeps the formula of its predecessor, it introduces plenty of new features, including the ability to glide down from heights, use a grappling hook, and mount flying machines. To prove to gamers that God of War Ragnarok will feel like a new experience, the game needs to reveal that it also has an array of new features. These could be shown off at a new showcase, which gamers are likely eager for considering how it has been since new God of War information has been released.
God of War Ragnarok has faced delays, but the game will likely finally release in 2022. The game will see Kratos and Atreus trying to prevent the Ragnarok from occurring while they escape Freya and Thor who are thirsty for revenge. Players will get to see familiar characters such as Mimir, and they will also meet new characters such as Angrboda. In the months leading up to the game's release, Santa Monica has plenty of opportunities to build up hype and excitement by crafting stellar events that showcase what gamers can expect from the studio's next masterpiece.
God of War Ragnarok is scheduled to release in 2022 on PS4 and PS5.